A Novel in 300 parts, give or take. Jasfoup the demon uncovers a zombie problem in Laverstone. What do you do when RentoKill refuse to get involved? Dust off your saber, that's what.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Dead Rite chapter 138.14

“It is?”
Right. Sorry.” At least Peters had the temerity to look sheepish as
he stood. “I'll get out there, shall I? Can't leave my camping gear
to get nicked.”

“Can't
leave the place in a mess. We'd have to fine ourselves for
littering.” White followed him out of the confines of the trees.
Now that the dust had settled, it was clear just how badly the cairn
was damaged. One of the supports had been pushed to an angle that
looked at least unsafe if not downright dangerous, and its movement
had allowed the lintel to drop on one side and cause a partial
collapse of the roof. White could only imagine what the falling roof
had done to the inside of the burial chamber. “Oh dear.”

“You!” A
lady in her fifties carrying the sort of shoulder-height pole walkers
tend to use and dragging an ancient golden Labrador on an extendible
lead hailed him. “Is this your doing?”

“Of course
not. We--”

“Are these
your camping thinks?”

“Yes,
but--”

“Do you
know how long this cairn has been here? Hmm? Do you?”

“Umm. Five
thousand years?”

“Five
thou-- yes, that's right. And you destroy it in an afternoon.”

“It wasn't
us. We were just having a cup of tea when it happened.”

“It wasn't
us, it was a bigger boy who ran away. Do you know how many times I've
heard that story? Hmm?”

“No,
Madam, but--”

“I'm going
to call the police.” She pulled an ancient mobile out of the pocket
of her fleece jacket. “They'll arrest you and I shall ask for life
sentences for this wanton vandalism.”

“But
madam, we are--”

“Don't
give me your protestations, young man.”

White
paused, unsure whether to be pleased or insulted by the 'young man'.
He reached for the phone to call the station. “If I could just
borrow--”

She
shrieked. “Help! I'm being assaulted.”

Peters held
out his warrant card. “We are the police, Madam. We are in pursuit
of a suspect. Please may we use your phone?”

“You're
the police?” She looked from Peters to White and back. “You
should have said so.” She gave Peters her phone.

He pressed a
few buttons, shook it and showed it to White. “It's dead, too.”